Tympanic pneumo massage device



A. T` VANCE Sept. 10, 1935.

TYMPANIC PNEUMO MASSAGE DEVICE Filed July 25, 1932 Patented Sept. 10,1935 UNETE'D STATES kPATENT FFEQE l. Claim.

My invention relates generally to therapeutic appliances and moreparticularly to a device for producing pneumo massage upon the tympanicmembrane and the nerves associated therewith, also upon the ossicles andthe external auditory meatus and the principal object of my inventionis, to provide a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive devicethat may be conveniently employed for producing air pressure or partialvacuum within the auditory meatus and thereby impart gentle pneumomassage that is highly benerlcial to all parts of the auditory canal,the tympanic membrane and nerves and to the ossicular chain.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a tympanic pneumomassage device of the character referred to having graduated scales andmeans associated therewith for indicating the degree of pressureproduced by the device while applying treatment to a patient andlikewise the degree of applied vacuum and which pressure and vacuum itwill be understood correspond respectively with the pressures prevailingbelow sea level and the decrease in pressure or rarity of the air indifferent altitudes above normal or sea level air pressure.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a tympanic pneumo massage deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the upper portion of thehollow handle of the device and showing the air inlet and outlet openingtherein.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the upper portionof one of the legs of the gauge tube and showing the air inlet andoutlet opening therein.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view partly in section of that portion of thedevice that is applied to the outer end of the meatus or externalauditory passage.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment of my invention, IB designates a hollow cylindricalmember that may be formed of metal, hard rubber or the like and whichserves as a handle for the device and connected to a stem or nipple llthat projects from the lower end of said handle, is one end of a smalliexible tube I2. Connected to this exible tube is a bulb I3 of rubber.

Projecting upwardly from the upper end ofthe hollow handle I8, is ashort tubular nipple i4 and formed through the wall thereof, is anaperture I5 that is surrounded by 'an externally ar- 5 ranged flange I6.

Secured to and projecting upwardly from stem I4, is a small tube l1,preferably of metal, and rigidly secured to the upper end of this tubeis a tube i8, preferably of metal, that is slightly in- 10 clined withrespect tothe axis of tube H.

Secured to the forward end of tube 18, is an applicator I9, preferably asmall bulb of metal, hard rubber or the like and formed through theouter end of this applicator, is an aperture 2i?. 15

The rear end of tube I3, or the end opposite the bulb I9, receives areadily removable cap such as 2l (Fig. 4), or where the device isutilized with a pressure and vacuum gauge as illustrated in Fig. l, oneend of a ilexible tube 22 is connected 20 to the rear end 'of said tubeI8.

The opposite end of tube 22 is connected to the upper end of one of thelegs of an elongated U- shaped glass tube 23 and which latter is securedin any suitable manne-r to an upright panel 2&5 25 and said panel beingsupported upon a suitable base 25.

A small manually operable valve 26 'forms a section between one of thelegs of. tube 23 and the flexible tube Z2 and secured to the upper endof 30 the other leg of the tube, is a tubular member 2l, in the upperend of which is seated a yscrew 28.

Formed through the wall of tubular member '2l is an opening 29 and whenthe screw 28 is screwed into member 2'! to its limit of movement, theinner 35 portion of said screw closes said opening 29.

The lower portion of tube 23 contains a body of mercury and under normalconditions the level of this body of mercury in the two legs isapproximately midway between the upper and lower ends 40 of the tube.

Appearing on the face of panel 24 in horizontal alignment with the levelof the body of mercury within tube 23, is a Zero mark 30 and appearingon the face of panel above this zero mark and 45 adjacent to the leg ofthe tube to which flexible tube 22 is connected, is a scale that isgraduated and marked so as to indicate increasing altitudes above sealevel,

Appearing on the face of. panel 24, below the 5U Zero mark 30 andadjacent to the leg of tube 23 to which flexible tube 22 is connected,is a graduated scale marked to indicate air pressures below sea level.

Appearing on the face of panel 24 above the zero 55 Cil mark 30 andadjacent to the leg of tube 23 that carries the tubular member 2'I andscrew 28, is a graduated scale that indicates pounds of air pressure andappearing on the face of panel 24 below the Zero mark 30 and adjacent tothe leg of tube 23 that carries tubular member 2'I at its upper end, isa graduated scale that indicates pounds of minus pressure or vacuum.

In the use of my improved pneumo massage device, the bulb I9 is insertedsnugly in the external auditory meatus and the thumb or finger of thehand that grasps the handle I is placed on rib or flange IB so as toclose aperture I and the rubber bulb I3 is now compressed, therebyforcing air under pressure through flexible tube I2, handle I0 and tubesII and I8 into the external auditory passage and such pressure forcesthe tympanic membrane inwardly and produces movement of the ossicuiarchain.

To produce suction and consequent vacuum within the auditory canal, thethumb or finger is removed from aperture I5 and bulb I3 is compressed todischarge the air therefrom, after which the bulb I9 is inserted in theentrance to the meatus and thumb or linger is positioned so as to closethe opening I5 and as bulb I3 is permitted to expand, the suctionthrough aperture in bulb I9 and through the device will produce apartial vacuum within the auditory canal so as to draw the tympanicmembrane outwardly and produce corresponding movement in the ossicularchain.

The operations just described may be repeated alternately so as to applypressure and partial vacuum alternately within the auditory passage,with the result that the tympanic membrane, the ossicular chain and thenerves associated therewith will be gently massaged and thereby greatlybeneted.

As bulb I3 is compressed to produce pressure as just described, airpassing through tube 22 and into the upper portion of the leg or tube 23to which said tube 22 is connected, will force the body of. mercurydownward through said leg and upwardly through the leg that carriestubular member 21.

As the bulb I3 is permitted to expand after having been collapsed toproduce suction or partial vacuum in the auditory canal, the body ofmercury within tube 23 will lower in the leg that carries member 2l andwill rise in the leg to which tube 22 is connected and by reading thelevels of the body of mercury in the legs of said tube 23, theapproximate pounds pressure or of vacuum produced by the device andlikewise the theoretical altitude or below sea level conditions may bereadily observed.

The pneumo massage action produced by the device upon the tympanicmembrane and ossicular chain is highly beneficial for the prevention ofadhesions with diminished mobility of the sound conducting elements andalso for the breaking down of adhesions already formed.

The gentle massage action produces a sedative eiect upon subjective earnoises resulting from removing the thumb from aperture I5 so as topermit sudden inrush of air through the device into the auditory canal.This action produces no pain and is extremely beneficial in restoringossicular movement.

In the event that it is desired to use the device without the column ofmercury and the indicating scales associated therewith, flexible tube2?. is detached from the end of tube I8 and a cap 2l is applied to theend of said tube, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

When the panel 24 carrying the tube 23 is placed in a horizontalposition, for instance, when the apparatus is packed for storage ortransportation, valve 2@ is closed and screw 28 is screwed down so as toclose aperture 29 and thus the mercury within tube 23 is prevented fromdischarging from said tube.

Applicator bulb IS tapers gradually from its intermediate portion towardits forward end in order that it may conveniently t any externalauditory canal or meatus.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a tympanic pneumo massagedevice that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive ofmanufacture and very elective in performing the functions for which itis intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved tympanic pneumo massagedevice may be made and substituted for those herein shown and describedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of whichis set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a tympanic pneumo message device, the combination with a panel of atransparent U-shaped mercury containing tube positioned on the face ofsaid panel, the face of said panel adjacent to the legs of said tubebearing a graduated pressure and vacuiun indicating scale, a hollowhandle, a exible tube connected to one end of said handle, a collapsiblebulb connected to said exible tube, a tube projecting from the other endof said handle, an applicator bulb carried by said tube, said bulb beingprovided with an orifice, a flexible tube connecting the end of one ofthe legs of the mercury containing tube with the bulb carrying tube at apoint between said bulb and said hollow handle, the upper portion of theother leg of the mercury containing tube being provided with an oriceand adjustable means for closing said last mentioned ori- ARLYN T.VANCE.

